Wu reassures Dems he's just fine

Rep. David Wu is seeking to reassure Democratic Party leaders that he is in good shape, personally and politically, after a spate of stories about his erratic behavior during the run-up to his re-election in November 2010.

Wu (D-Ore.) told POLITICO Thursday that he has spoken briefly with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to let her know he wants a chance to sit down and discuss his situation at greater length.

Story Continued Below

“I’ve indicated to her [that] at her convenience, we’ll chat,” Wu said. He also said he plans to have similar sit-downs with Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel of New York and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and George Miller (D-Calif.), who are co-chairs of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.

“I intend to go to them out of respect for them and the offices,” he said. “I’ve been advised that there is no sense of urgency.”

Wu has acknowledged that he has suffered through mental health issues in recent years and that they culminated in a series of odd acts just before the 2010 mid-term election. Among other episodes described by Wu and other sources, he sent staff a picture of himself in a tiger costume for Halloween and wrote e-mails that were purportedly from his children.

He has acknowledged having taken prescription drugs in the past — and has sought professional help for his mental health issues — but insists that he doesn’t have a substance abuse problem.

In a Fox interview this week, he said he had “a challenging time” last fall, including a “very, very stressful election,” which he won by a slightly larger-than-expected margin with nearly 55 percent of the vote. “I said some things, and I did some things that I shouldn’t have done,” he said.

Echoing remarks he has made in television interviews, Wu said he has “no intention of resigning.”

He said he has a two-pronged strategy for proving himself fit for re-election in 2012.

“I know what I need to do,” he said. “Go home, be in front of people, let Oregonians kick the tires, see I’m good and I’m going to take care of them … The other is I’ve got to have two good [fundraising] quarters, and I know that.”

Republicans say that a Wu resignation — or decision not to seek re-election — would make the seat competitive but that he could be tough to beat.

“A lot has to happen to make this a good opportunity,” said one GOP official. “An open seat would present a good opportunity but the district can’t get much better in redistricting.”